The Cosmopolitan

Las Vegas

All the conventional casino-resort wisdom gets turned on its head at the new Cosmopolitan, which is why we love it. First, they've ditched "the roster of A-list, no-show chefs for a cast of creative kitchen cooks with something to prove." Craft cocktails are king at the hotel's three main bars, where you'll notice "bartenders from other restaurants stooled-up, asking questions." And details like digital art columns at the check-in desk and restored cigarette machines that spit out artwork for 5 bucks a pop make us feel like credit-card-carrying adults, not conventioneers or frat boys. Plus, the rooms have a million perfect little details: "black-and-white Fornasetti wallpaper gazing at you from the back of your closet, colored pencils instead of pens and fat stacks of art books." $195/$350; 2,995 rooms & suites; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

SCORE: 86